Archive for 'Mark Taulbee'

Recently I photographed an event for a client that totally “gets it” when it comes to social media. They had a home office employee dedicated to posting pictures immediately after I took them. At first I thought this was going to be a huge pain in my backside. But it didn’t take long for me to get caught up in the excitement. Within minutes, the sales consultants at this event were checking Facebook and tagging themselves in the photos. They would then update their status with something exciting that was happening at the meeting. There was a buzz all during the conference among the consultants but more important was the affect it was having all over the country. Hundreds and eventually thousands of friends had become fans of this company. I was so intrigued by what was happening that I asked several people how they were liking it. They shared that posting all these pictures during the conference opened up many conversations about the product and career opportunity that probably would have never happened.

Whether you’re having a national convention, leadership conference or incentive trip, your photos can really come to life with props. With all of the time, money and effort it takes to put on these events, you want to make sure give your participants great memories. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. If your event has a theme, buy props that goes with your theme. Fun props like hats, sunglasses and blow up musical instruments help drive home the theme and make it more memorable.

2. Buy props based on the location of your event. Whenever I’m shooting in Mexico we buy the most colorful sombreros and ponchos. When we’re in Texas, the huge foam cowboy hats are always a hit.

3. The crazier the better! I find that once people step outside their comfort zone and put on or hold up a crazy prop, they have much more fun in the picture and are always glad they participated.

The best time to do these types of photos is during registration. It helps get people excited about what’s coming up in the next few days. We usually provide these things free of charge for our clients but if your photographer doesn’t do this you should give him the idea or have some home office staff do this.It would be a great way for them to interact with the sales force. I’m going to go ahead and state the obvious – women are much better at this crazy picture thing than men. I wouldn’t suggest any of this silliness for an all male audience.

Your top sales people work very hard to achieve success in your company. They deserve outstanding recognition that shows that you value their efforts. With a little bit of attention to detail, you can make your people feel like a million bucks.

Make a Plan – Rehearse the Plan. A quick rehearsal and a few helping hands can make all the difference. In your rehearsal, establish who will be welcoming achievers to the stage and who will be placing them in their spots. Don’t let people come to either side of the stage. This causes confusion and usually looks sloppy. People appreciate being shown where to go so they don’t look goofy trying to find their way. Have a system so everyone on stage and those helping from back stage know exactly what to do and when to do it.

Make it a BIG deal! Do everything possible to set apart your recognition from the look and feel of you general session. The lighting should be more dramatic and the decorations need to be scaled up – making for a special evening and great photos. Even the voice of the presenter should take on a more regal tone. Make sure your music also reflects the importance of the occasion. Choose your music ahead of time. Don’t rely on the sound guy to pick what he thinks might work.

Feature your Stars. Have escorts (if possible) walk your winners to their spot on stage. Place them in order from #10 – #1 and have everyone slightly angled towards #1. This leads everyone’s eyes towards the top achiever. If they are holding a gift or award, make sure they all hold it the same way. We’re setting up the photo for use in a printed publication or on-line newsletter. This way the names can be quickly associated in order with the winners in the photo. Finally, take 20-30 seconds for these top award earners to stand in the spotlight, receive their applause and have their photo taken.

The time you spend on the details of your on-stage recognition makes a huge difference to the award winners and to those in the audience. The more special you make it, the more motivated others are to work hard to be on stage next year. Make sure the photos are available to the winners so the recognition lives on with family and friends via social media or traditional methods.

There is an abundance of photographers that will claim they can do whatever you need. Photographers at the top of their game tend to specialize. Product photography is one of those specialties. If your company sells products (as opposed to services), it’s vitally important to choose the right photographer to help showcase the features of your products. Here are some things to consider when choosing one.

Product photography requires the unique ability to make something, usually a very simple item, look appealing. It’s more than sophisticated equipment, it’s a trained eye and the talent to make a simple product stand out and appear desirable.

Most forms of product promotion, such as catalogs, magazine advertising, point-of-purchase displays, packaging, and e-commerce websites all start with a photograph. Many elements help create an effective product shot – composition, lighting, camera system, photographic technique, post-processing, and of course, creativity. A professional product photographer successfully combines all of these facets to produce a superior image.

Your quality products deserve the attention of a product photographer that has the experience and skills to ensure that each image sparks something in your customer that moves them closer to a purchase. Conversely, poor or even average photos of your products suggest mediocrity. They erode the professionalism of your printed collateral or web site. In your customer’s eyes, “excellent images signify excellent products”.